Police: Manchester woman, 18, stabbed her boyfriend

Staff Report

MANCHESTER — Melinda Morina, 18, is accused of stabbing her 21-year-old boyfriend in the chest Friday night after they argued about smoking marijuana.

Court documents show Catholic Medical Center initially reported the knife wound may have “nicked” the victim’s heart. Police said Monday the wound was life-threatening, but the victim is expected to recover.

Morina, of 155 Becker St., was arraigned Monday in Circuit Court-Manchester District Division on a felony first-degree assault charge. No plea can be entered to a felony in Circuit Court, so a probable cause hearing was set for Dec. 5.

Court documents show Morina told police she and her boyfriend, Christopher Serrano, were arguing about smoking marijuana. He wanted to and she said she couldn’t because she has to undergo drug testing. During the argument, she said, she picked up a knife from the kitchen counter and raised it in her right hand.

The court documents show she told police Serrano “tested” her by saying: “You’re not gonna do it.” She blamed Serrano for making her “so mad” that she stabbed him in the chest.

Morina told police she then dropped the knife and tended to Serrano.

Joseph Marcotte, 21, told police that he and Serrano had gone for a walk because the couple had been arguing. He entered the residence after finishing a cigarette and found Serrano lying on the kitchen floor. Serrano called to him: “I’m stabbed. Call an ambulance.”

Marcotte told police Morina was crying, saying: “I’m sorry” and “please don’t die.” But she also allegedly told Marcotte that Serrano had stabbed himself, according to court documents.

No bail was set on the felony charge because Morina was out on bail at the time of the stabbing. As a result of the alleged violation of bail conditions, police prosecutors filed a motion to revoke Morina’s bail and have her held until her trial Jan. 8, 2014, on a charge of interfering with custody.

A hearing on the bail revocation motion was set for Tuesday in Circuit Court. If the judge decides not to revoke Morina’s bail on the custody charge, bail will be set on the felony assault charge.